Security forces in the Philippines claim they have control of almost three quarters of the coastal areas taken over by Muslim rebels in the southern city of Zamboanga, as fighting enters its ninth day.

The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) has invaded the city in an attempt to derail a rival rebel group's planned peace pact with the government.

More than 100 people held by the rebels were released overnight.

The military says a sustained offensive, which began on Friday and included helicopter rocket attacks, was proving a success."For the past 18 hours, we have been able to rescue 116 people due to pressure from our troops on the ground," military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala told AFP.